The best of what's new streaming on Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and more.
By Kevin Slane
Welcome to Boston.com’sweekly streaming guide. Each week, we recommend five must-watch movies and TV shows available on streaming platforms likeNetflix,Hulu,Amazon Prime,Disney+,HBO Max,Peaco*ck,Paramount+, and more.
Many recommendations are for new shows, while others are for under-the-radar releases you might have missed or classics that are about to depart a streaming service at the end of the month.
Have a new favorite movie or show you think we should know about? Let us know in the comments, or email[emailprotected]. Looking for even more greatstreaming options? Check out previous editions of ourmust-watch list here.
New Movies Streaming
“Alien”
Since we only cover streaming movies in this column, I’ll be brief in giving a thumbs-up to “Alien Romulus,” which hits theaters this weekend. Director Fede Alvarez doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but the film checks all the boxes for fans of the franchise — a claustrophobic ship, morally ambivalent AI, a requisite number of jump scares, and action sequences that find new, inventive ways to make the aliens terrifying.
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If you’re planning to watch “Alien Romulus,” it’s definitely worth revisiting Ridley Scott’s 1979 original — not just because “Romulus” takes place between the events of “Alien” and “Aliens,” but because it remains one of the best horror/sci-fi films ever made 45 years later. The crew of the Nostromo have no idea what they’re in for when they encounter a wrecked ship on their way back to Earth after a long journey. Ultimately only Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is up to the task, in the process creating one of the most indelible female action heroes ever committed to screen.
How to watch: “Alien” is streaming on Hulu.
“Furiosa”
To get the inevitable question out of the way, “Furiosa” (read full review) is not better than “Mad Max Fury Road.” But surpassing one of the best films of the 2010s is an impossibly high bar to clear. Unlike “Fury Road,” which rarely let its foot off the gas, “Furiosa” is told at a much more deliberate pace. We see a young Furiosa captured and then raised by a horde of desert marauders, led by the self-absorbed Dements (Chris Hemsworth). As an adult, Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) has blended into the background, but she still harbors thoughts of escape — and revenge.
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In a little over two hours, Miller effectively conveys the legend of a woman who was snatched from her mother, has been through hell, and emerges intact, albeit with a War Rig-sized chip on her shoulder.
How to watch: “Furiosa” is streaming on Max.
“Jackpot”
After starting the 2010s on a hot streak with “Bridesmaids” and “The Heat,” Paul Feig has taken some lumps, including his “Ghostbusters” reboot in 2016. The “Freaks and Geeks” creator will hope to turn things around with “Jackpot,” an action-comedy starring Awkwafina as an aspiring actress named Katy who is suddenly confronted by a “Purge”-like situation: She has won the lottery, but anyone who kills her by sundown legally inherits her billions. With everyone in Los Angeles on her heels, West Newbury native John Cena arrives with the promise of using his lottery protection agency to keep Katie safe in exchange for a cut of the winnings.
Given Feig’s comedy pedigree, it’s a bit surprising (and disappointing) that “Jackpot” prioritizes action over comedy, but Awkwafina and Cena make a fun feuding pair, and there’s enough antics to keep things entertaining.
How to watch: “Jackpot” is streaming on Prime Video.
New TV Streaming
“Bad Monkey”
After creating Ted Lasso for Apple TV, Bill Lawrence (“Scrubs”) has a bit of a blank check with the tech giant. The TV veteran’s passion project is “Bad Monkey,” a detective comedy starring Vince Vaughn as motormouth detective Andrew Yancy. Vaughn is on suspension, but he is drawn into the mysterious death of Nick Stripling (Marblehead native Rob Delaney). Nick’s younger girlfriend (Meredith Hagner, “Search Party”) seems like the prime suspect, but as Yancy digs deeper with occasional help of from medical examiner (Natalie Martinez, “Death Race”), he finds there’s more to the mystery.
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Also featuring John Ortiz (“American Fiction”) as Yancy’s beleagured partner, and Lawrence’s “Scrubs” buddy Zach Braff, “Bad Monkey” is the first chance in awhile for Vaughn to fully embrace his caustic wit.
How to watch: “Bad Monkey” is streaming on Apple TV+, with new episodes debuting Wednesdays.
“Bel-Air”
Now in its third season, “Bel-Air” is a bit of an oddity. The glossy drama is a reimagining of what the life of Will Smith’s character from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” might have been like if he didn’t inhabit a three-camera, laugh-tracked sitcom. Season 3 sees Will (Jabari Banks) and Carlton (Olly Sholotan) on summer break from school, with Will drawn to the entrepreneurial spirit of Quentin (rapper Vic Mensa) and Carlton’s Ivy League future in jeopardy after a stint in rehab. Will’s absentee father (Marlon Wayans) makes a return as well, adding to the drama.
Based on the first three episodes, “Bel-Air” may be setting up too many plot strands to develop them fully in a single season, but newly minted showrunner Carla Banks Waddles (“Good Girls”) could have a few tricks up her sleeve.
How to watch: “Bel-Air” Season 3 is streaming on Peaco*ck, with new episodes debuting Thursdays.
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